Impacts on Earth

Alberto Cellino, Philippe Bendjoya (auth.), Daniel Benest, Claude Froeschlé (eds.)3540642099, 9783540642091

Impact phenomena play an essential role in the formation of planets and great influence during their evolution. The first part of this book describes the dynamics that propels asteroids in our solar system; the second part is devoted to impact phenomena; the third inspects terrestrial impacts of asteroids and the hazards due to space debris orbiting our planet. The book addresses scientists working in astronomy, extraterrestrial physics and geophysics. But it should also be of great interest to a learned public that wants to know about the most recent developments in this fast-moving field of theoretical and observational research.

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Table of contents :
Catastrophic Collisions in the Asteroid Belt — The Identification of Dynamical Families….Pages 3-30
Origin and Dynamical Transport of Near-Earth Asteroids and Meteorites….Pages 31-53
Topics on Chaotic Transport for Hamiltonian Systems — Modelling of Diffusion Processes for Small Bodies in the Solar System….Pages 54-66
Collisional Disruption of Natural Satellites….Pages 67-76
Concepts of Shock Waves….Pages 79-112
The Experimental and Theoretical Basis for Studying Collisional Disruption in the Solar System….Pages 113-136
Signatures of Impacts in Quartz (Microstructures and Formation Mechanisms)….Pages 137-154
Dating of Impact Events….Pages 157-183
Impact Energy Flux on Earth in the Last 150 Ma as Inferred from the Cratering Records….Pages 184-198
Earth-Orbiting Debris Cloud and Its Collisional Evolution….Pages 199-223